of lynn



Dec- 1931- H. CHRISTIANSEN 1,335,143

GAS LIGHTER AND THE LIKE Filed Api"i1 16, 1926 Patented Dec. 8, 1931PATENT HANS eHRIsa'IANsEN, on mum, MAssAcHUsETTs; n-ssieiqdii i'o' GEO;J finnm'r'; 11m, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS; A CORPORATION OFneassAorr-usn'rws GAS LIGHTER AND THE LIKE Application filed lipriI 1E6,

The invention has relation to so called igniters or lighters of theclass designed for use in igniting combustible gas, vapor,-or i fiquidbymeans of sparksproduced through relative movement between pyrophoricma-' terial and an abrading or cutting device while engaged with eachother. To a considerable extent in practice the pyrophoric material thatis employed is an alloy, such as 10 alloy of iron and cerium, or analloy of iron and lanthanum. Usually a file-like abrading deviceisemployed for co-operating' with the pyrophoric alloy, and whenrelative movement of the one thereof with reference to'the other iscaused to take place particlesof alloy are detached in the form ofsparks. Each time thisaction occurs, some of the material of the blockof alloy is worn .r away, and inasmuch as the block is a small one on'account'of the cost thereof, replacement soon becomes necessary.

The general object of the invention is to make provision for convenientand ready application of a charge, of pyrophoric ma terial to thesupport therefor constituting an element of an igniter or lighter; alsofor convenient detachment of the remnant of the worn-out charge andequally convenient ape plication of a fresh or reserve charge; and alsofor securing retention of the charge in working relations withthe saidsupport after being applied thereto, without annoyance and inconveniencedue toaccidentaldis'com necti on or displacement of the charge when the'igniter'or lighter is operated. V

The invention is illustrated in the drawings,-in Which,'

Fig. I is: a side elevation of a gas'lig'hte'r' of one of the forms towhich the invention is ap ca e Fig=2isa-bottom view ofthe gas lighter ofFig. 1== v Fig. 8' is a plan viewof theworking end ot the arm whichcarries the pyrophoric material, thelatter beingi omitted and theviewbeing on a scale somewhat lar er thanthafi oi: Figs.- 1 and 2. y

F ig." 4 is a side eleva-tion partly in section on line 4', ig-ofi Fig."3' ofsaid workingend to neturn the parts transversely'to-the rela and achargeor cartridge of pyrophoric lieterlal applled thereto.- I

Fig.- 5'is a View showing the arm in verti cal cross secti'en on'lin-efi; 5,1 of Fig.- 4, with the cup of holder for pyrop'horic mate 55rial partly broken away.

Fig. 6* is a plan view of the'charge or cartridge' of the foregoingviews.

The gas lighter shown in Figs. I and it of the same constructional typeas that 60 shown and describedin U. spLetterg Patent No. 1,183,491 datedMaylG, 1916. As in the said patent, the device comprises piece" ofspring wife, bent to provide apair of a1)" proximately parallel ar'r'nsa, 6, connected by an intermediate coilic, the tension of whicha-c'tswith' a tendency to throw the freee'nds of the rms away from e chether, while the coii permitssaiu al ms tobe relatively swung, v 1 as inother devices" of this character; The new ispmvidedat thumb-pieced, pro:duced' by forming a c'oi'li'n the wire, Sothat when the device is heldin oneshand for u e, with the palm of the hand meeting on the upper sideof the arms, pressure may be applied conveniently by the thumb againstthumb-piece Z, to press the arms transvefse 1y toward eacliother, theportion; of said arms between the thumupieee' and the coil; 0' thusacting as a hand-hold: The arm 25 has ap= plied to the free end thereofthe charge on cartridge of pyroph'or'ic' materia-1,;and the transverselybent free extremity dot the arm a has'mounted revolubly thereontheabr'adei constituted by the round file j. The tension of the wirekeepsthe block, yofpyrophorie material incontact With the ahrading"surface of the file,'and' also, normally, atone end of the file as in Fig; and suchtensioh' acts g6 t'ive position that is shown in igl 2 aftermovement Of the arms (1" I) towardaich other'has been caused by pressuresqueezing the arms toward each other, font-wee tyre .i laxation of suchpressure: In the relative movement of the'blo'ck' of yropuoeic meterialand file back and forth lengthwise Q'fthe file,-the spark ing" isroduced arrange-me detaching of sniall partielesdf sucumecenak m Atk isshowii thesiheet-nietal gas defieeti-iig plate which is provided abovethe abrader j. As thus far described, the construction is as heretofore.

Preferably, in carrying the invention into effect, the holder 7 isformed with a cup, as shown best in Fig. 5, which receives within it,and grips exteriorly, one end of the block, g, of pyrophoric material.The said end of the block seats itself against the bottom surface withinthe cup. Such block, and the cup, are represented as cylindrical, but inpractice they may be of any convenient and advantageous shape incross-section.

The block, g, and the holder, 7, constitute a charge or cartridge ofpyrophoric material.

The holder, 7, is combined with the block, 9, because in practice theblock itself is so small that if separate and loose it would be liableto loss. Also, it would be inconvenient to manipulate, anddisconnectible direct attachment of the same to the support, in thisinstance the wire arm 6, would be diflicult of effective accomplishment.By combining the holder with the block of pyrophoric material, I providea charge or cartridge of a size, character, etc:., facilitating handlingthereof, and also facilitating adaptation of the charge or cartridge forbeing conveniently connected with the supporting arm Z), as well as forbeing effectually and firmly seated in connection therewith so as toensure that the block of pyrophoric material shall remain in properworking union with such arm during working movements of the said blockand the abrader with relation to each other.

1 form the support for the charge or cartridge, such support beingconstituted herein by the arm Z), with a divided seat, shown best inFig. 3, adapted to receive a portion of the charge or cartridge, thesaid portion wedging into and spreading the divided seat and beinggripped firmly thereby so as to cause the charge or cartridge to be heldfrictionally in place in connection with the support.

In accordance with the invention 1 form the divided seat at the workingend of the arm 6 by doubling the free extremity of the arm back upon themain portion of the latter, keeping the two portions side by side, bothin the same plane. This provides for enabling a portion of the charge orcartridge, preferably the holder, to be forced in between the twoportions of the arm so as to spread the said portions slightly apart.The spring of the material causes the entered portion of the charge orcartridge to be clasped and held lirmly. As one form of holder adaptedto be held in place by the inherent spring of the bent-back end of arm 6the holder 7 of the charge or cartridge is shown provided with a tang fFigs. 4 and 5, to enter between the two portions of the arm, and whensuch a tang is used I form in the said portions recesses b registeringWith each other to receive the entered portion of the charge orcartridge, usually the said tang. These registering recesses form,conjointly, a split socket, one-half of such socket being constituted bya recess in one side of the main portion of the arm, and the other halfthereof being constituted, as described already, by a companion recessin a portion of the arm which is doubled back upon the said mainportion, in the same transverse plane with the latter. Preferably, also,I form the tang f with a taper, and the socket with a correspondingtaper. The taper socket is produced by operating a tapered drill betweenthe two portions of the working end of arm 6. The taper of the tankfacilitates the introduction of the tang by an endwise movement into thesplit socket, and enables the tang to become wedged within such socket.As it is pushed home within the socket, the taper tang forces theopposite sides of the seat apart slightly out of their inherentpositions, so as to put the parts forming the seat under slight tension.This tension increases the frictional hold of the socket upon the tang,and more effectually safeguards against accidental dislodgment of thetang from the seat. Preferably the tang is given a conical shape, asshown. Or the holder, when of this or other shape, may be entered in theslightly flaring entrance to the space forming the divided seat, andpushed along lengthwise of the portions Z) and 6 into wedging relation.

The holder, 7', is provided with a shoulder, 7", Figs. 4 and 5,extending outward contiguous to the basal portion of the tang. Suchshoulder, f is adapted to rest against the surface of the support, atthe side of the latter at which the block of pyrochoric material islocated, so as to act as a stop when the charge or cartridge has beenmounted upon arm 5 in proper working relations therewith, and so as torestrain the charge or cartridge from being tilted transversely by rea-Z son of its contact with the abrader, as a result of relative movementof the block and abrader lengthwise of the latter.

As will be apparent, a charge or cartridge like that shown in Figs. l,5, (3, may be applied conveniently and quickly to the supporting arm 6by pushing the tang, 7, into the recesses Z2 It will remain securely inplace, without tendency to tip or be dragged out through engagement withthe abrader during movement relative to the latter. EX- traction of anexpanded charge or cartridge may be effected quickly and with ease. Itwill be understood that in order to facilitate application of a chargeor cartridge of pyrophoric material to arm Z), or disconnectiontherefrom, such arm will be swung laterally clear of the abrader. Thelateral swinging movement will be permitted to occur after the arm Z)has been depressed from its position in Fig. 1 until the said arm, and acharge or cartridge carried thereby, or an exhausted holder 7, as thecase may be, have or has been moved down far enough to clear theside-arm, m, Fig. 1, of gas-deflector plate k. A similar depression ofarm I) will permit it to clear said arm in being swung laterally inwardagain into its working position in Figs. 1 and 2.

The free end or tip of the tang f projects through the socket and at theside of the supporting arm opposite that at which the body of the chargeor cartridge is located. To safeguard said free end or tip from suchcontact with other objects as might operate to drive the tang endwiseout of the socket, or loosen it therein, the extremity of the bentbackportion of the wire is bent downward so as to form a shield Z2 closealongside the said projecting free end or tip.

I do not lay claim herein to the cartridge having a holder provided witha tapered tang, separately considered, inasmuch as the same is claimedin my application for U. S. Letters Patent filed April 15, 1926, SerialNo. 102,340.

What is claimed as the invention is 1. In a pyrophoric igniter orlighter, the combination with an abrader, and a support that is movablerelatively to the abrader, of a charge or cartridge comprising a blockof pyrophoric material and a holder for said block, the said holderhaving a tapered tang, and the said support having a divided seat whichis adapted to receive said tang by an endwise movement of the tang,point first, and through being slightly spread by the wedge-like entryof the tang acts through its normal elasticity to clasp the latter so asto hold the charge or cartridge in working position in connection withthe support.

2. A lighter having in combination relatively movable arms coacting intong-like relation, one thereof provided with an abrader, and the otherthereof having its end-portion bent back to lie alongside the mainportion of such arm in spaced relation thereto, and a holder forpyrophoric material adapted to wedge into the space between the bentbackend-portion and the main portion and spread these portions outwardlyfrom their inherent positions so as to be held by the spring of thematerial.

HANS CHRISTIANSEN.

